Feed-water heater.



G. MCDOWEL..

FEED WATER HEATER. APPLICATION FILED IAN.'20. 1916.

Patented Feb. 27

Illl

w/rA/EssEs unir y GEORGE McDcWELL, or BROOKLYN, NEW YORK.

' Flinn-WATERHEATER.

, Appiieaiion mea JanuaryY 20,5 191e.Y seriarNo. 73,125.A

To all whom t may concern;

Be it known that I, GEoRGnMcDowEm., a citizen of the United States, and residentof Brooklyn, county of Kings, and State of New York, haveinvented'certain' new and useful Improvements in F eed`Water Heaters, of which the following is aspecification.

My invention relates particularly to feed water heaters in which brass tubes lare inserted in atube head and arranged for the circulation of water therethrough, the tubes being inclosed in ashell through which the exhaust steam is allowed to pass. l

One of the principaly dificulties to be overi come in the feed water heaters of lthe usual type is the breakage ofthe tubehead when the same is made of cast iron or the like. The contraction and expansion due tothe introduction of col dwater into the tubes from one side of the tube sheet or head and the steam striking the other side of the head is likel7 `t0 result ina rupture or cracking of theV tube head. v

The object of my invention is to obviate this difliculty by providing means for heating the tube head on bothvsides so that the difference of temperature throughout the head is not enough to cause rupture thereof. A further object is to providea settling tank or chamber linto which the feed water is introduced during vits circuit through the heater, the settling tank being also heated by the steam passing through the heater.

By this construction' 1 am 'enabled to in crease the efficiency of the apparatus and simplify the tube system.

The tube systemof the ordinaryfeed wai.

ter heater is usually such that it is impossible to takeout one of the inner tubes if it'should become defective and require replacing,

without taking out or bendlng a large num- Y In my construction v the tubes are lsymmetrically arranged ber of the other tubes.

radial planes within theshell and secured to the tube head in the usual manner as, for instance, by expanding thef ends of the tubes."

All of the tubes being alike in my construction it isobvious that a savingin cost of manufactureV is effected.

VOne form-of my improved apparatus is shown in the' accompanying drawings in which Figure l represents a side elevation, partially in section; Fig. 2 is a top view, the

shell being in section along the linev 2-2 of speciacatibn of Letters raient.

alternating.' lons and 4Patent-eaaren. at, i917.

Fig. r11;- Fig 3 is a vertical section onthe line of Fig. 2,1 Fig. 4 is a section through the tube head on the, vline 1 -4L of Fig. 3; Fig. 5 is asectionthrough the settling chamber and steam, conduit on the line k5-j5 of Fig. 3.

` Referring. to the drawings l represents the cylindri c al j shell .of the feed water heater which is preferably made o f boiler steel, the

upper end offtheshell is closed by a plate or shell head 2 riveted tothe shell at 3 and vprovided with a-manholecovered by a plate 5 which maybe boltedeor otherwise secured to the plate 2. substantiallyas indicated in the drawing. The man hole, is adapted to facilitate removal orinsertion of tubes wheny repairs are required. vThe lower endof the shell, is .1 preferably `secured to an annular flange- 6 which is adapted to be secured by suitable bolts or rivets 7 to' the upper ange of a tube head or plate 8 provided with a central opening 9 for thevpassage of steam therethrough. Itwill be noted that the tube head is annular in form and :is provided with a plurality of vertical holes intoiwhich the ends of radially arranged inverted U- tubes l0 are secured substantially as illustrated in Figs. land 3 of they drawings.

The tubes 1 0 are spaced from each other annularly and larelocated about the central opening 9 in such a way as to leave a central tubelike passage alongthe inner legs of the pipes f orlthe entrance andl distribution of steam.v The upper face ofthe tube head is preferably inclinedv in a-conical or other suitable manner toward the central opening Iinthe head so that water of condensation Atheusualor any preferredmanner.

The underside of-the tube sheet or head 8 is provided with. a plurality of recesses,

short, varranged circumferentially of the annular portion of .the v'tube head as indicated'v at l1 and l2 in Fig. 4:. The long recesses llare adapted to 'connect the outer 'ends of'two adjacent tubes `while the shorter recesses l2 are adapted to connect the inner ends of Vadjacent tubes, the connections alternating in such away as 'to produce a continuous circuit of the tubes i. e., the outlet end of one tube lis connected with a recess to which the inlet end of the adjacent tube is connected. The

-tinuity of circuit through tus is in operation, opened tube sheet is also provided with a pair of straight vholes 13 and 14, which occupy the space of one of the inner or shorter recesses, the holes adapted to connect with a settling tank 15 located below the tube head 8.

The tube head 8 is provided with a flange at 16 which is. bolted to a corresponding flange 17 forming the upper to the settling tank 15. This plate or flange extends entirely across` the settling tank except for a central opening at 18 which is arranged to coincide or register 'with the central opening 9 in the tube head 8 as will be seen in Fig. 3 of the drawings. The annular flange or cover 17 of the settling chamber is adapted to fit tightly over the lower face of the tube head 8 so as to seal the recesses 12 and 13 and thereby give the conthe inverted U- tubes hereinbefore referred to. A gasket 19 may preferably be linserted between the lower face of the head 8 and the annular cover 17 of the settling chamber -to insure more perfect sealing of the recesses.

The cover plate 17 of thesettling chamber kis provided withholes positioned to coincide or register with the holes 13 and 14 so as to permit the inlet and outlet of water from the settling chamber into and through the circuit of the tubes. The plate 17 is also provided with lateral openings 20 and 21 leading to holes 22 and 23 in the tube sheet or head for the inlet and outlet of the water passing through the heater.

The central and lower part of the settling tank is preferably provided `with a steam passage or conduit 24 through which the steam may pass to or from the interior of the shell 1. This arrangement of the steam conduit provides means for heating the water in the settling tank which, as will be seen, is located below and in contact with the lower face of the tube sheet or head, the upper yface of the tube head being heated in the usual manner by the steam in the shell in its passage therethrough. Thus by my arrangement the difference of temperature between the two faces of the tube head is reduced to a minimum.

The shell is provided with a steam nozzle or flanged port at 25 which may be connected with the exhaust of the engine either as an inlet or outlet as maybe desired or preferred. The entire feed water heater is supported upon three legs 26 which are preferably removably inserted in sockets 26a in the bottom of the settling tank substantially as indicated in Figs. 1 and 3 of the drawings. The settling "tank is provided with holes at 27 and 28 which may be closed by arplate or suitable plugs when the apparabut may be used when to flush out and clean the Ymud or other sediment out of the settling tank when required.

plate vor cover WVhen in operation l preferably introduce steam through the conduit 24 the steam passing up through the central opening 9 of the tube head where it will spread out and fill the shell surrounding the tubes 10 and exhaust out through the nozzle or pipe connection 25. rThe water is introduced say through the opening 2O and will pass up through the hole 22 into the outer end of one of the inverted U-tubes, it will then pass through the U-tube and into the first of the shorter recesses 12 then lthrough the inner leg of the next adjacent U-tube, then down through the outer leg and through the outer connecting recess 11 to the outer leg of the next adjacent tube, the inner leg of which is connected with the hole 14 which, as previously indicated, communicates with the settling chamber 15 so that the water will flow down into and through the settling chamber and return up through the hole 13 to the lnext adjacent tubeV land then on through the tubes and recesses until the last tube leads it into the hole 23 which, being connected with the outlet 21, will deliver the yhot water to any suitable pipe connection that may be desired. Any water of condensation will run down through the central opening 9 into the conduit 24 owing to the slant of the upper face of the tube head 8.

Various modifications of the specific details of construction may be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention, and obviously 'the apparatus may be disposed horizontally instead of vertically as shown.

l claim:

1. A feed water heater comprising an upright shell, a tube head forming the bottom thereof, inverted U-tubes secured in the tube head and extending into the shell, said head being provided with suitable recesses on its lower side to form connecting channels between the outlet and inlet ends of adjacent tubes and a plate member covering said recesses. y

2. A feed water heater comprising an upright shell secured to a tube head, a plurality of inverted U-tubes secured in said tube head, the tubes being symmetrically arranged annularly of the head `and an inclosed settling chamber below said tube head and secured thereto, holes and recesses being provided in and between the tube head and settling chamber whereby feed water may circulate in series through said tubes and the settling chamber.

i 3.v A feed water'heater comprising an up right shell, a plurality of inverted U-tubes symmetrically arranged annularly within said shell, a tube headffor-ming the bottom of the shell in which said tubes are secured, said head being provided with recesses for connecting the outlet end of one tube with the inlet end of the next and a settling chamber connected in series with said tubes substantially as described.

4. A feed water heater comprising a shell, an annular tube head, a plurality of inverted U-tubes arranged radially around the opening in said head, the upper surface of said head sloping toward the` center for drainage, the under surface thereof being provided with recesses connecting the adjacent ends of successive tubes to form a continuous circuit therethrough and ya settling chamber provided with a head adapted to cover the recesses in said tubehead, suitable connections through said heads being provided for placing the settling chamber in circuit with said tubes substantially as described.

5. In a feed water heater the combination with a shell of a plurality of inverted U- tubes arranged in vertical planes radially of said shell, a central space being left along the inner legs of the tubes for the passage of steam, a tube head provided with a central opening, around which said pipes are concentrically arranged, a settling tank adapted to form a continuous circuit with said tubes and a steam conduit through said tank and the central opening of said tube head whereby the water in the settling tank is heated.

6. In a feed water heater the combination with a cylindrical shell of a plurality of inverted U-tubes -arranged in radial planes concentrically within said shell to leave a central passage therethrough, a tube head with a central opening communicating with said passage and a horizontal settling tank, below and secured to the tube head, provided with a steam conduit therethrough connecting with the central opening in said head whereby the water in the settling tank is heated, said tube head being heated on one side by steam and on the other by the water in said settling tank.

7. A feed water heater comprising a shell, a tube head constituting one end thereof, said Copies of this patent may be obtained for ive cents each, by addressing the head being provided with a steam passage, a`

let, there beingV also a second steam passage opening to the interior of the shell.

8. A feed water heater comprising a shell, a tube head for one end of said shell, a plurality of U pipes within the shell with their ends iiXed in said tube head, passages in said tube head connecting the ends of said tubes so as to place. the tubes in series, an end'of each of two pipes serving as inlet and outlet respectively, and means for bringing steam into contact with both sides of the tube head.

l9. A fluid heater'comprising a shell, a tube head closing one end of the shell, a plurality of serially connected pipes within the shell the ends of the series being supported by the tube head, an inlet and outlet for each of said ends, a passage through the tube head into the shell, a part of the outer side of the tube head constituting one wall of the passage and a second passage from the outside to the inside of the shell.

l0. -A feed water heater comprising a shell7 a closure at one end thereof, U tubes having ends secured in the closure and extending into the shell, said closure having passages forming connecting channels between the outlet and inlet ends of the several tubes so as to join themall in series and permit a fluid to be flowed therethrough, and means for bringing a second fluid of different temperature from the first fluid, into contact with both sides of the closure and with the pipes inside the shell.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand.

GEORGE MCDOWELL.

Commissioner of Patents,

Washington, D. C. 

